100 states support UN resolution on status of Georgian IDPs, refugees from Russian-occupied regions

100 states support UN resolution on status of Georgian IDPs, refugees from Russian-occupied regions

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution on the status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Georgia’s currently Russian-controlled Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, with 100 states voting for it, five more than last year. 

 

Twenty-seven member states of the European Union were among the supporters.  Nine countries voted against the resolution and 59 abstained. Opponents of the resolution included Russia, Syria, Nicaragua, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Belarus, Cuba and North Korea.

 

Georgia has been submitting the resolution to the UN General Assembly since 2008.

 

Last year, China, Laos and Vietnam voted against the resolution, while this year China abstained, and Laos and Vietnam did not participate in the voting.

 

The resolution condemns the demographic changes carried out by the occupation force in the regions, affirmed the right of IDPs, regardless of ethnicity, to return to their homes “with dignity and safety|, and emphasized the need to “respect and protect” their property rights.

 

The Georgian foreign office said in addition to the humanitarian context, the resolution also instructed the UN Secretary General to prepare an annual report on the situation of the displaced population living in Georgia and the implementation of the resolution.

 

"This is especially important in light of the severe human rights situation in the territories of Georgia occupied by Russia and the absence of international monitoring mechanisms, which is another obstacle to the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees, and is especially important now, amid Russia’s aggression against Ukraine”, the body said. 

 

The resolution also called on the Geneva International Discussion format co-chairs - on Georgia’s conflict issues -  to intensify their efforts to improve the security and human rights situation in the occupied regions of Georgia. 

 

Considering that 64 countries joined the co-authors of the resolution from different regions of the world, which was an increase compared to last year, the foreign office said the progress "once again confirms that the resolution is already a global initiative".

 

During the discussion of the IDP resolution initiated by the Georgian side, supporting statements were made by the delegations of Australia (CANS - on behalf of Canada, Australia, New Zealand), Lithuania (on behalf of NORDIC/BALTIC), the European Union, the USA, the United Kingdom, Japan and Ukraine, and the UN member states of Georgia. The IDP was urged to support the resolution.

 

The resolution had been co-sponsored by Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece , Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal , Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mexico, New Zealand, Palau, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu. 

 


On September 27, 1993, the main city of Georgia’s currently Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, - Sukhumi fell and about 300,000 to 330,000 people became IDPs from the western, coastal region. 

 

228 Georgian civilians and 14 police officers died in the August 2008 war. According to the latest data of the Ministry of Defense, 169 soldiers are considered dead. 1, 747 people were wounded during the war. Almost 150,000 people left their homes, and 30,000 of them remain in exile.

 

As a result of the August 2008 war, Georgia lost control over 189 villages, 125 of which are still under the Russian occupation regime.





The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution on the status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Georgia’s currently Russian-controlled Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, with 100 states voting for it, five more than last year. 

 

Twenty-seven member states of the European Union were among the supporters.  Nine countries voted against the resolution and 59 abstained. Opponents of the resolution included Russia, Syria, Nicaragua, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Belarus, Cuba and North Korea.

 

Georgia has been submitting the resolution to the UN General Assembly since 2008.

 

Last year, China, Laos and Vietnam voted against the resolution, while this year China abstained, and Laos and Vietnam did not participate in the voting.

 

The resolution condemns the demographic changes carried out by the occupation force in the regions, affirmed the right of IDPs, regardless of ethnicity, to return to their homes “with dignity and safety|, and emphasized the need to “respect and protect” their property rights.

 

The Georgian foreign office said in addition to the humanitarian context, the resolution also instructed the UN Secretary General to prepare an annual report on the situation of the displaced population living in Georgia and the implementation of the resolution.

 

"This is especially important in light of the severe human rights situation in the territories of Georgia occupied by Russia and the absence of international monitoring mechanisms, which is another obstacle to the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees, and is especially important now, amid Russia’s aggression against Ukraine”, the body said. 

 

The resolution also called on the Geneva International Discussion format co-chairs - on Georgia’s conflict issues -  to intensify their efforts to improve the security and human rights situation in the occupied regions of Georgia. 

 

Considering that 64 countries joined the co-authors of the resolution from different regions of the world, which was an increase compared to last year, the foreign office said the progress "once again confirms that the resolution is already a global initiative".

 

During the discussion of the IDP resolution initiated by the Georgian side, supporting statements were made by the delegations of Australia (CANS - on behalf of Canada, Australia, New Zealand), Lithuania (on behalf of NORDIC/BALTIC), the European Union, the USA, the United Kingdom, Japan and Ukraine, and the UN member states of Georgia. The IDP was urged to support the resolution.

 

The resolution had been co-sponsored by Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece , Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal , Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mexico, New Zealand, Palau, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu. 

 


On September 27, 1993, the main city of Georgia’s currently Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, - Sukhumi fell and about 300,000 to 330,000 people became IDPs from the western, coastal region. 

 

228 Georgian civilians and 14 police officers died in the August 2008 war. According to the latest data of the Ministry of Defense, 169 soldiers are considered dead. 1, 747 people were wounded during the war. Almost 150,000 people left their homes, and 30,000 of them remain in exile.

 

As a result of the August 2008 war, Georgia lost control over 189 villages, 125 of which are still under the Russian occupation regime.